PROFILE

• 25+ years experience serving secondary students in an educational setting.
• 20+ years post-masters experience as certified school library media specialist.
• Recently certified in secondary language arts.  
  
  View full Professional Education Certificate Information from Michigan Department of Education.

RELATED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Strong backgrounds in educational technology and instructional resources:
  
  • Served a school district as its media technician for 5 years prior to completing graduate studies.
  • Have written numerous software and web site reviews for School Library Journal as well as an ongoing monthly column, “Test Drive,” featuring the newest in educational hardware.  
  • Regular podcast and video contributor to School Library Journal's online arm, SLJ.com
  • Have worked in--and taught--television production, built a television studio and sponsored a long-running, daily school announcement telecast.
  • Produced several high school video yearbooks for cable telecast.
  • Updated and managed a large high school/community performing arts facility.
  • Designed and maintained a web site which has been featured as exemplary in two educational journals.
  • Built and maintained two local area networks.
  • Automated a library system and introduced electronic databases to our district.

• Strong backgrounds in literature, theater, writing, and publishing:
  
  • Contributing book reviewer of titles for middle readers, young adults and professionals for School Library Journal. Reviews appear subsequently on bookseller’s web sites like Amazon.com. 
  • Have worked extensively in theater.
  • Maintained a 4.0 g.p.a. on coursework leading to language arts certification.
  • Served as school yearbook sponsor/editor for six years.
  • Developed “World Almania” and “World Almania for Kids,” two research skills games, for World Almanac Education. Wrote follow-up materials for subsequent editions. 
    

• Proven teaching collaborator and connected professional:  

• Speaker, American Association of School Librarians National Conference, Reno, Nevada, October, 2007. Presented Gadgetpalooza, an overview of the year's most promising educational technology.

• Co-developed and co-taught hundreds of curriculum-driven research projects.

• Longstanding American Library Association member.

• Served as district liaison to B.O.C.E.S. and R.E.M.C. regional educational services.

• Developed a simplified bibliography format and accompanying worksheet that has been adopted in several school districts nationwide.

• Volunteer as webmaster for the Jackson School of the Arts.

• Webcast moderator, Gadgets and Tools and Apps, Oh My! a discussion of library-related technologies sponsored by Polaris Library Systems and Library Journal, February, 2010.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

• 2000-Present: Columnist, School Library Journal.
• 1991-Present: School Library Media Specialist, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, Michigan.
• 1990: School Library Media Specialist/Television Production Instructor, Grosse Pointe North High School, Grosse Pointe, Michigan.
• 1985-1990: District Media Technician, Grand Island Schools, Grand Island, New York.

EDUCATION

• 2011: University of Pheonix.  Completed Spanish for Educators and Information Technology and School Libraries Courses.
• 2001: Spring Arbor University.  Completed coursework necessary for certification in secondary language arts.
• 1999: Michigan State University. Completed six credits of graduate study in educational technology.
• 1990: State University of New York at Buffalo. Completed Masters degree in Library and Information Science (MLS), additional coursework in education, and teaching practicum to attain certification as School Library Media Specialist, K-12.
• 1983: State University of New York College at Buffalo. Completed Bachelors Degree in Journalism, Broadcast and Speech Communications.